The Truth
by Dreamer2008
Summary: The rating is so that I'm safe, Remus Lupin is on a trip, trying to help Harry find a way to thwart Voldemort, when he runs into an old school friend. Could she be the trick to help Harry thwart the dark lord once and for all or is Harry rightly wary
1. Introduction

Often time's visions and stories of werewolves, dark lords, shape shifters, beautiful young women, and death aren't always what they seem. It started in 1946, Northern Scotland when the wrong person was expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The wrong monster was sent into exile and terror that lied in the very hollow, dank, dark places of the castle was allowed to live on in sleep and bide its time until the heir to Salazar Slytherin, the pureblood from Fen and banished Hogwarts cofounder, could return to release the repulsive and deadly creature within, Slytherin as cunning and as sly as his mascot, the snake, left not a gene from his successor. Tom Marvolo Riddle, an orphan, half muggle half wizard, all evil, and full of vengeance. Tom was an over achiever, no one would have expected the head boy and magical prodigy to one day become the most feared wizard in all of the world...Except Albus Dumbledore. Only he could see the fires of hell burning in Tom's eyes as he designed a new name for himself and a new body to become, Voldemort, immortal and determined to destroy the muggle and magical world he went through several transformations as to be beyond recognizable to his former self. Not a person dared to speak his name aloud. All the powers of the Ministry, all the best aurors were no match against the dark lord who had an army of thousands, his only true "family". It wasn't until 1985 that the unthinkable but hoped for deed could be done and by the most unlikeliest of all people, little Harry Potter, barely a year old and son of Lily and James Potter murdered mercilessly by the dark lord Voldemort, vanquished the dark lord with nothing more than a lightning bolt scratch on his forehead, little did Harry know that because of a deed he did not intend to do he would become famous for "killing" Voldemort and his scar would be both a blessing and a curse in many ways. Harry James Potter as he was named was left on the door step of Number Four Privet Drive where lived his terrible Aunt Petunia, on Lily's side, Uncle Vernon, and piggish cousin Dudley Dursley. Poor Harry was neglected and emotionally battered by his relatives and he knew that somehow he didn't belong with them until on his 11th birthday he was taken away from his aunt and uncle for a while and the truth of his famous name and parent's disastrous and tragic end became known to him. Harry Potter was the boy who lived. For six years Harry and his friends thwarted the plans of the dark lord but it was in Harry's fourth year when the terror of Lord Voldemort had returned during the tri-wizard tournament Harry had been selected from the Goblet of Fire as the fourth wizard in the tournament. An outstanding phenomenon as he was too young to even enter but that years defense against the dark arts professor was not entirely who he seemed to be. Alastor "Mad Eye" Moody had been knocked out and locked in his trunk by Barty Crouch Jr., the estranged son of Ministry worker, Barty Crouch. Harry had been branded a fool and his sanity was in question, as people of the world doubted the return of the most powerful and dangerous wizard known to king or beast. Although no one would believe him Harry knew he had seen the Dark Lord regain his body and his powers not to mention the drive to destroy. In Harry's fifth year the prophecy of the dark lord was uncovered and almost fell into the wrong hands, Voldemort's and his allegiance of followers dubbed, Death Eaters. The prophecy reads,

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives.... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...."

Still no one is sure what this prophecy means and Harry still has much to learn about his past and while I know not of Harry's sixth year except that because of the untimely death of his God father and friend, Sirius Black, he had a really tough time completing his assignments but was diligent on concocting a plan to destroy he-who-must-not-be-named but he always comes out missing something important...which is where our story begins.


	2. Remus' bad news

It was a very hot summer day at the end of August about two days before Harry, Ron, and Hermione returned to begin their final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry and his friends have been spending the summer had headquarters for the secret society, The Order of the Phoenix, located at number 12 Grimmwauld Place that had made Harry very happy due to the fact that he didn't have to put up with the Dursleys' this summer kept his short temper fuse relatively cool for most of the summer. Until Professor Remus Lupin, a friend of Harry's father James and Harry's friend now, told him that he was going on a special mission of the secret sort.

"Harry, I have something to tell you." Remus said softly as Harry's eyes narrowed on him and he walked forward.

"Yes Professor?" Harry asked cautiously sensing that he was getting some bad news.

"Well, the thing is Harry, err I'm going on a secret mission over seas to try and find something although I don't have the foggiest idea what it is or where to find it." Remus said very fast as Harry's eyes looked him over from side to side up to down.

"You're doing what?!" Harry Demanded

"Now!? Professor you're supposed to come back and teach us this year."

"Well, there's been a slight change in plans Harry. There's something out side of Europe that I need to find. There is something that is the key to brining down Voldemort. I'll know it when I find it." Lupin said meeting Harry's gaze and holding it steady. Harry finally broke the gaze and nodded silently asking,

"When are you leaving professor?"

"As soon as I can, tomorrow morning probably after I decide where I'm going to start looking first, I have a strong vibe I'll find what I'm looking for in North America...Well Harry I'm going to head off to bed now. Don't stay up too late school starts in two days you'll want to be fresh for your first day. And hell Harry, call me Remus when we're not in school." Remus said with a grin.

"Yes, sir ah, Remus." Harry said sheepishly

"Well good night Harry." Remus said placing a hand on his shoulder and giving it a fatherly squeeze and walked up the stairs to the bedroom entered and walked over to his window leaned up against the framing.


	3. The Adventure Begins

Lupin was thinking out loud to him self, "What the hell am I looking for?"  
  
He closed is eyes and in a scene flashed a full moon, a werewolf, obviously himself, and figure small in stature but oddly familiar draped in shadows pulling back from the wolf. Lupin opened his eyes wide shaking and in a cold sweat. He looked up at the moon and realized that it was just about full he had another two days before his night of torture began. He climbed into bed only to have the same vision in a more clearly defined dream.   
  
The shadowed figure was a girl probably about age 28 with light brown hair and dazzling ice-blue eyes. She was small in stature about five feet four inches, and she was running from something when she came across Lupin in his wolf form unable to find a way to go around the werewolf and continue running she looked to the sky and saw that the moon was setting and the sun was rising. With this happening Remus's transformation from wolf to human started to occur the girl stood frozen in her spot as if she had grown roots to just watching as Remus went from wolf to human in a painful fit of thrashing and howling. When the transformation had ended and Remus was lying on the ground breathless and completely naked the girl took off her small coat kneeled beside him and laid it on Remus for any sort of warmth, brushed the hair off his face, and was suddenly seized at the upper arm and dragged away by man Tall, dark, and amazingly handsome with black shiny hair, electric green eyes flecked with red, and fair skin. She was pulling back screaming in pain, yelling for him to let her go, and he spun around meaning to slap her across the face when she ducked grabbed his other arm from hitting her and bit into it hard, the man let out a blood curdling cry, cursing her;  
  
"Eve, You Bitch!" he took another swipe for her and succeeded this time in hitting her square across the face and knocking her to the ground as she hit with a shallow thump. Remus tried to move but he couldn't. Everything else went dark except for the girl,  
  
"God she's tragically beautiful," Remus thought as even her features started to dim and fade with the last things to die were her piercing eyes both threatening and adoring.  
  
With that Remus woke up to the dark sky still out with the innumerable stars dancing above and just a crack of late summer sun starting on the horizon. Looked down at him-self tangled in the sheets of his bed and just starting to realize how fast his heart was in fact beating.  
  
"Phew" he sighed "Just a dream" he said to himself in an almost convincing tone. It took him a few minutes to untangle him self from his bed coverings get up and get dressed. He slowly walked down the stairs to the first floor landing and saw a light on in the kitchen, walking toward it he entered and saw Molly Weasley working on that mornings breakfast,  
  
"Good morning Molly." Remus said jovially  
  
"Good morning Remus, you ready for breakfast?" She asked "You'll need your strength to apparate over the ocean." She continued with a warm but apparently nervous smile.  
  
"Oh no, Molly I should be fine I really have to get going I'm going to go pack a few things come down and say goodbye and I'm off." Remus said as he turned and walked out of the kitchen back up the stairs picked up his wand of the bed side table opened the trunk at the foot of the bed, with a smooth flowing wave of his wand his cloths, books, and a years supply of the wolfsbane potion as well as a compass and magical map of North America flew folded into the trunk. Remus nodded at his ability to pack his small shabby trunk as he picked up one of the handles and dragged it out of the room and down the stairs as not to break the potion he lifted it over the stairs so that it just barely hovered and floated smoothly down to the first floor.  
  
"Molly, Remus called softly, I'm leaving now...I'll see you around Christmas probably."  
  
"Remus, you wait right there, you're not walking out that door until I get a proper goodbye." Molly called from the kitchen as she emerged she walked to him gave him a hug looked at him directly in the eyes and said sternly, "Remus, you be very careful we're all counting on you."  
  
"I know Molly, I know." He said softly "Will you tell Harry, Ron, and Hermione that I said goodbye and I'll see them at Christmas? Please." "Of course I will." She said holding her elbows in her hands  
  
"Be safe Remus come back with whatever it is soon."  
  
"Oh I'll find it and won't rest much till I do." With that he picked up his trunk and with a loud snap was gone  
  
I hope that these edits help to make the story easier to read. Keep me posted on anything I can do to make this story more enjoyable :-) 


	4. The Preminition of Truth

A few seconds later Remus apparated into a small town found a rental car company realizing that he had definitely managed to apparate on the provincial boarder between, Ontario and Quebec he also managed to apparate into a muggle community near Sudsbury he'd need to try and blend in. So he walked across the street to the rental company as he opened the door and the bells attached to the door and a small plump man looked up and saw Remus a momentary looked showed doubt in the man's eyes that Remus could afford to rent a car from his lot.  
  
"Welcome to Vlad's Car Rental Services Sir is there anything I can help you with? My name is Edward Ven."  
  
"Yes, sir I need a car for three months minimum." Remus said sternly "three months?" Edward Ven asked.  
  
"Yes, four months, I would also like something good on gas mileage." Remus said  
  
"Well let me show you this car it's an automatic transmission, power windows, locks, and Air conditioning gets 26 city miles to the gallon best one I got." Mr. Ven said  
  
"I'll take it." Remus said  
  
"Space A26 that will be 120 dollars sir." Mr. Ven said and handed Remus the keys in exchange for the money.  
  
"Thank you." Remus said as he walked out the door dragging his trunk with him and walked out to the lot and saw row A and found spot 26 in the spot was a middle aged car but in good condition.  
  
Remus threw his trunk in the back and hopped into the drivers seat backed the car out of the space and started driving southeast toward New York. He drove and drove and drove for two weeks stopping only on the side of the road to sleep for a few hours each time he dreamed he saw the piercing blue eyes of the girl in his first dream. It was now Tuesday, September 14 and another full moon. Remus found him self pulling over early when he found a wooded area in the middle of up state New York the nearest town he had passed was about 10 miles north, little did he know that there was something else hidden in the woods something he wouldn't want to find, a distraction.  
  
He got out of the car, the pain was almost too much to stand locked the car doors and went deep into the woods. Sat down on the forest floor as the full moon rose and the transformation was going to be terrible tonight he had completely forgotten about the potion he had in his trunk. Not only would it be painful for him but also he prayed that he was far enough away from the village not to cause any harm. Just then the moon came from behind the clouds and his body went rigid soon after he doubled over in pain and fell to the ground in a sort of seizure as his face elongated and limbs covered in fur, his finger and toe nails lengthened to claws and his teeth became razor sharp and he was now a full- fledged monster. He meandered around the woods for many hours feeding on rabbits, birds, and deer until the sky started to lighten when he heard the snapping of twigs in the distance the were coming closer, it was a human, and a small one at that. The wolf lowered himself into the grass by the tree as a girl came running at a barreling speed out of the wood and into a small clearing where the moon was shining near the western horizon it was probably about five O'clock in the morning when the girl skidded to a halt and fell on all fours eyes wide and panting as she met eye to eye with the werewolf with teeth barred ready for the hunt, the girl started shaking her head,  
  
"Oh no, no not me please. I'll give anything just let me get away and I'll never bother you again." She pleaded "Please...Oh Please" she started to cry knowing that one way or another she would probably die tonight. Just as the werewolf let out a low growl more footsteps distracted it from rearing and pouncing on her these footsteps were larger and running, they were approaching quickly, the wolf stood up on all fours and saw a figure in the distance stop as his gaze settled on the girl sitting the ground tears pouring from her blue eyes down her subtle cheeks and onto the ground, her strait brown hair in a disarray, full of grass, the scratches on her soft face was flecked with dried blood, seeing this the figure started to laugh a laugh that seemed to freeze the blood in the veins. 


	5. Eve

"Oh Eve...now you've gone and done it." Said the figure stepping slowly into the light as the werewolf let out a low growl of the setting moon he was tall, about six feet four inches, with electric green eyes with specs of red-orange in them, jet black hair, and very fair skin. He was incredibly handsome and had to be the boyfriend of such a beautiful girl Remus thought as he started to regain his mind. "No! Stay away from me both of you!" Eve screamed as the werewolf's eyes focused on her and walked slowly to block her entrance to the woods thinking,  
  
"If I can only get her to pay attention that I'm not a real monster, what am I talking about? Of course I'm a real monster but who knows I could save her. She doesn't seem to want to be involved with this man any longer." and the young man took a step forward until he was distracted by a howl let out from the werewolf as the moon had set and the sun began to rise he had caught the attention of both and for a few moments the girl was safe as he transformed from wolf to human Eve and the handsome man watched in amazement and Eve even let out a small gasp.  
  
"Oh, you poor man." She said, "You're so young can't be any more than thirty." And she stood up trembling a little took off her sweater revealing bare shoulders covered in scratches and scars and she laid it on the gasping Lupin she smiled her eyes shining as he tried to raise a hand to touch her face as she brushed hair off Remus's face "just lay still here, don't try and move." She said softly and at that moment Remus felt something he had never before but couldn't place a finger on it. While Eve was tending to Remus and he was gazing at her soft features no one heard or saw the man walk up behind her grab her by the upper arm his large hand enveloped her small arm as he stood screaming at her,  
  
"Eve, you bitch, you're coming home with me."  
  
"No! Let me go." She cried "Someone please help me!"  
  
Remus tried so hard to move but he was too weak she continued to pull away from him dug her heels into the ground did everything she could until he was tired of the fight reeled around and attempted to slap her across the face but she ducked and he came back for a back lash but she grabbed his arm with her free hand and reeled around pushed her self against his chest in and bit down hard on his arm he spun her away in a deranged sort of dance and went to slap her again this time he succeeded in hitting her right across the face knocking her to the ground with a thud she lay there motionless for a minute until she attempted to sit up the man grabbed her by the wrist squeezed so hard that a deafening crack echoed through the silent woods, her wrist had been broken badly as she let out a howl that sounded inhuman.  
  
"Alright! Stop! I'll go!" Eve cried as she was in too much pain now to put up a fight.  
  
"Damn Strait you'll go!" he bellowed giving her a swift kick in the ribs that even Remus could feel as she curled up on the ground at that she stopped moving and probably passed out with pain. At that moment the young man conjured a blanket scooped her up in his arms her head positioned against his shoulder and her limp limbs small and beautiful but bruised disappeared into the distance. Remus still breathing hard felt something in his chest break there was something about her like he knew her once; he had to find Eve and rescue her. There was also something about that man that he didn't like. 


	6. Saving Eve

Remus reached for the sweater she had left on him he slept for a long while and when he woke up it was about six O'clock and Remus had a little more strength at least enough to look for the car which he had a terrible time finding but after a while he did, got dressed, and drove around the woods looking for a road into them but found none until he decided to grab a cloak and his wand got the car back to the spot where he left it before and went back to the clearing sat down by the same tree holding Eve's sweater praying that maybe she'd try and escape until the realization that she was probably in no state to run away tonight, judging by the man which had already proved himself a wizard by conjuring up the blankets he didn't seem the type to be forgiving and healing. He'd probably let the wounds heal naturally and let the lesson be learned type guy. So with darkness falling swiftly Lupin set off into the woods at the direction the man left carrying Eve. Looking around in a defensive manner hoping not to run into anything dangerous  
  
"lumos" Lupin said softly as a narrow beam of light issued from his wand. Lupin staggered through the woods ducking under low hanging branches, stepping over roots and through bramble bushes still weak from earlier he was already gasping for breath and it took two wrong turns, three close calls with a snake, rearing unicorn, and angry hippogriff. That Remus saw a girl washing windows outside of a tiny shack as he moved closer to the house he heard her singing in a voice so sweet and angelic that he seemed to float toward her.  
  
"Once there was the sun, bright and warm and wonderful, shining like the love within my heart. Now there's no more sun winter has killed everything and although it's dark December forever I'll remember sun."  
  
Eve sang as Lupin snuck up behind her with stealth until he was almost two feet from her when he stepped on a dry twig and it snapped making her jump as she spun around scared half to death almost let out a scream until Remus ran up and put a scratched hand over her mouth whispering in her ear,  
  
"Hush, I'm not going to hurt you, I'm here to help you. Do you want to leave here?" She looked at him hard her eyes narrowed until recognition dawned on her face and she nodded feverishly.  
  
"Good, I'm going to get you out of here come with me. And put this back on it's getting cold out here." As he handed her back the sweater and also wrapped her up in the cloak  
  
"Now follow closely its dark in there and don't make a lot of noise." She looked at him as if to tell him he was being blatantly obvious at which he smiled and laughed a little,  
  
"Right don't need to tell you do I?"  
  
"No, sir you don't." Eve said with a smile as she followed closely behind Remus into the woods and back to the clearing where she stopped and whispered,  
  
"I don't think I can go any further, I'm a little nervous, he'll find me I know he will, he keeps me around for something although I don't know what it is at all and besides, he's not around all that often usually he's on a business trip in Europe."  
  
"Eve, you need to come with me, he abuses you and that's not right. Please just one step at a time I'll even hold your hand if you want me to if that would make it easier." Lupin said with a hopeful smile She nodded and he held out his hand as she took it he held her small soft hand firmly he looked at her and smiled which she graciously returned. After a long time walking in what seemed like circles they finally found their way out of the forest and to Lupin's car which had been parked on the side of the road for almost 24 hours.  
  
"Hop in." Remus said as he opened the door for Eve as she gave him an incredulous and suspicious glance. "Do you trust me?" He asked slyly his grey eyes dancing around her face. Nodding Eve stepped into the car surprised at the amount of space in such a small car.  
  
"So..." Remus said awkwardly obviously trying to start a conversation.  
  
"Yeah..." Eve said just as strangely knowing what he was thinking "Ummmm...how did you get...?" Remus continued.  
  
"Tangled up with the pinhead?" Eve asked with a malevolent smirk "Yeah." Lupin said as he pulled onto a main stretch of road  
  
"Well, you know how men are..." Eve started glancing side ways to see Lupin's slight smirk.  
  
"Oh, how are men exactly?" Remus asked with a laugh To which Eve looked at him sideways and said with a smile that showed her dazzlingly white, perfectly straight teeth, pulling her hands into a covered fist by her chin batting her long eyelashes and showing off her ice- blue eyes  
  
"They think no means yes, and get lost means take me I'm yours."  
  
Remus let out a loud laugh that sounded more like a bark and took Eve by surprise and forced her to recollect on the previous night with a noticeable look of fear in her eyes as she remembered that the man that she was riding with was in fact a werewolf.  
  
"Eve, what is it? You look as though you've seen a ----" Lupin cut off realizing the look that he was receiving, a look of terror, and perhaps shame. He realized what it was time to do... he had to explain to her the precautions that he was taking and that the last full moon was a slipup and unplanned for.  
  
"Eve," Lupin started with a sigh  
  
"As you know, I am a werewolf." To this comment Eve pulled closer to the window and further from Lupin.  
  
"I would also like to remind you that the automobile is in motion, and it will hurt if you open the door and try and jump out." He continued with a smile which seemed to put the young lass a little more at ease. Eve sighed and smiled slightly allowing him to continue.  
  
"I would also like to tell you all of the precautions I'm taking to ensure my safety and those around me..." He continued watching Eve out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"Eve, I have had this special potion brewed for me, it's called the Wolfsbane potion and it allows me to keep my mind but-"  
  
"Your body still remains that of a wolf." Eve finished for him.  
  
"How did you know?" He said in shock "This is a very difficult potion to make."  
  
"Let's just say, you're not the only werewolf I've known....just the one with the most common sense, also the only werewolf with a concern for anyone else around you." As she said this Eve pulled up a sleeve of the emerald green sweater 


	7. First Sight?

Eve revealed three scars about three inches long and perfectly claw shaped. Continuing along she twisted around in her seat and lifted the back of her sweater to reveal several thin scratches horizontally across her back.  
  
"Oh and there's one more that you should see...keep in mind nothing ever became of it." She said as she lifted her long brown hair to reveal the beginning signs of two puncture wound looking scars, "My brother...." Eve said with a heavy sigh and a down cast look. "My father, didn't know it was him when he started to attack me...shot him through the heart with a sliver bullet." Lupin's eyes were the size of saucers  
  
"Oh, Eve ..." he said in a consoling tone as she turned to look out the window "I promise to do anything that I can not to harm you."  
  
"Does that mean I'm staying with you for a while?" Eve asked still looking out the side window.  
  
"If you would like, I'm leaving it up to you." He said his eyes fixed on the road  
  
"So would you like-?"  
  
"Yes, I would like." Eve said finally turning to face Lupin with a bright smile spread across her gentle face.  
  
"Ok, it's said no more to say." Lupin said returning the gracious smile.  
  
"So where are we going?" Eve asked watching the road barrel on in front of her  
  
"Well that's a good question; I'm going where my instincts tell me. I'm looking for something." Lupin said "I think we're finally coming into a town so, maybe we should find some place to rest for the night well need an early start tomorrow my instincts are telling me to go south." As Lupin said this they started to pass by motels and hotels of all sorts shady and well kept all of them seemed to have bright signs that said  
  
"NO VACANCY" Lupin and Eve drove around the small town until they found a very small inn that held no sign so they decided to try and get two rooms for one night much to Eve's dismay,  
  
"Sir, I-"  
  
"That would be Remus not sir..." Remus said with a smile "Remus Lupin Professor for Defence against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."  
  
He continued, blushing only slightly as Eve started to giggle profusely and suddenly stopped giggling her eyes realizing something she should have a lot earlier but keeping it to herself.  
  
"Right, well then Mr. Remus Lupin, I have no money. Zip, Zilch, Nada, None Zero, I'll just stay here in the car and watch the stuff you go ahead in you need your rest anyway. It must have been a rough night for you."  
  
"Oh no you don't," Remus said pulling into the parking lot there is no way that I'm going to let you freeze out here I intend on paying for your room and board you are my travel guest after all. Besides I don't think I'm the only one that had a rough night...did anyone ever look at your ribs and wrist from last night?" Remus asked his cool grey eyes going steely colored and in a sense stormy.  
  
"No, I've had worse injuries than that no harm done just a little bruise that's all."  
  
"Well I think that I should take a look at them just incase, I don't pretend to be a master healer but at the very least I could conjure up a splint for you." Remus said taking Eve tiny wrist in his hand.  
  
"No, really I'm fine." Eve said softly, "Maybe later."  
  
After a few moments Remus hopped out of the car went in to try and book two rooms for one night came out with a message for Eve saying, "Eve, they don't have two rooms open the only thing they have is a room with one full sized bed. And I will not hear of you sleeping on the floor." Eve started to blush  
  
"Well I guess that's fine we'll just have to share for a night."  
  
"Right then, room 242 through the lobby, up on to the elevators, and down the hall, third door on the left." Remus said as he helped her out of the car. Eve turned around to get her things when she realized that she didn't bring anything with her.  
  
"Oh drat!" She said "I'll have to conjure some clothes when we get up to the room." And she helped Remus carry in his trunk and head up to the room. After a few minutes of sitting around she looked at Lupin and said, "Remus, do you mind if I hop into the shower and get cleaned up for once in a long time?"  
  
"Not at all, then I can have a better look at those ribs and that wrist." He said with a meek smile.  
  
"I'm telling you there's nothing wrong with me." Eve said stubbornly "Well just to make sure, and now go get in there before I chase you in there." Lupin said with a wide grin as Eve got up and headed to the bathroom,  
  
"Vastis quo" and suddenly all that she needed appeared at her feet in a nicely arranged bag. "It's only enough until I can get back to Tom's and pick up some of my own stuff." Eve said with a sheepish grin and disappeared into the bathroom for about 25 minutes.   
  
When she came out her skin seemed to be glowing and her hair was full of waves and her eyes sparkled and her teeth glowed radiantly as Remus got up he led her gently by the hand told her to sit up strait and breath normally which she did. Finding nothing in her ribs that would seem extraordinary like a brake or a crack he moved on to her wrist which, though still very small was about twice the size of her other wrist and apparently broken we'll mend this if it's broken he said dressing it with a make shift splint. She looked at him and smiled in a thankful manner as a small piece of hair fell across her face Remus reached up to brush it away and caught her eyes for a second he thought about a girl he had liked back at school and how Sirius had won her over with his help. Suddenly he shook that feeling knowing that she had died in an attack by Voldemort. They stood up together Eve was about seven or eight inches shorter than Remus but she kept his gaze.  
  
"You know Eve you have the prettiest eyes I have ever seen."  
  
"Mr. Lupin, are you trying to seduce me?" Eve said with a laugh  
  
"Is it working?" Lupin said with a sparkle in his eye  
  
"Maybe..."  
  
With that Lupin lifted her up off of her feet and into his arms and set her gently on the bed as she started to fall asleep as she closed her eyes she lifted the covers up over her and nuzzled down in a soft pillow for the first good night sleep in about seventeen years. About twenty minutes later Lupin was ready for bed and crawled in beside Eve through a protective arm around her and he too fell asleep asking himself if he believed in love at first sight. 


	8. Reunited

The next morning Eve was up early for her first run in about seventeen years. She cast a thankful look at Remus thinking about how handsome he was, his arm still protectively covering the spot where she had been she sighed and in an attempt not to wake him went over bent close enough to his face that she could actually feel him breathing and whispered softly more to herself than anything else,  
"You've taken me back into the sun." and she left for an early morning jog through the town. About 30 minutes after Eve left Lupin woke up to find the other side of the bed empty he was really quiet anxious,  
  
"No, it couldn't have been..." and just as he was opening the door Eve came through into the room. "Eve, Eve are you alright where have you been?"  
  
"I've been out for my first run in about seventeen years, Tom wouldn't let me run...thought I'd run away, he was right. But not from you." Eve said as she looked at Remus's expression of shock and relief.  
  
"Oh right..." He said with a sigh  
  
"You didn't think I'd leave did you?" Eve asked looking Remus square in the eye.  
  
"Not that you would leave." He paused  
  
"That you'd be taken from me. Eve, sit down, it's time that I told you the way it was back when I was a different man. When I was a young boy I was bitten on the neck by a werewolf, this much you knew." Eve nodded her piercing blue eyes fixed on his stormy gray eyes giving him almost all of her attention. He continued speaking "At the age of eleven, I attended what is said to be the best school of witchcraft and wizardry of its day: and its day goes back over 1000 years. Well I made more friends than I ever imagined I would or even could; I thought my condition would hold me back. Instead I made friends..." He trailed off sighed looked down at the floor and continued "Friends that have slowly dwindled, whether they went to the other side, or were killed it still stands that I'm the only one left and up until now aside from Harry, I've felt alone but you gave me back a world I knew the story of my life began again with you." Lupin said as he stood up and walked over to the window leaving Eve sitting pondering until she stood up walked over to Lupin and said softly  
  
"Now I have a secret to tell you. Turn around and look me in the eyes Remus and see if you don't remember me." Slowly Lupin turned around and there before him stood a woman two years his junior and finally he realized why he had felt so comfortable around her, "Genevieve? Genevieve Porter?" Eve stood before him in old school robes of scarlet and gold.  
  
"I thought you had been killed in the explosion in front of the ministry three days before Lily and James were murdered." Lupin said rushing toward her picking up her hands from her side and holding them tightly.  
  
"Well," She said softly "I almost did, but an Auror sent me to a top medical facility in the states which is where I stayed for about six months until the healer came into my room and told me that there was someone to take me home. When he came in I really didn't recognize him although, well I don't think I would have recognized many people. So I went along with it he told me that we had gone to the same school and that he was just a few years older than me although he wouldn't say how many exactly. He asked if I remembered his name and I remember shaking my head no and he said 'Eve, honey, you don't remember Tom, me Tom Reynolds and so to make him feel better I nodded and we left the hospital and moved to that little shack in the woods. Tom kept me under lock and key and then I started to remember but I still didn't remember Tom although he said I would someday....But I remember you Remus." Eve trailed off looking back at Lupin twisting at her finger for about a minute Lupin just stared at her gawking.  
  
"Eve, I can't believe it, it's like you're back from the dead I had hoped and hoped for months when your body never turned up but I lost hope after a year. First you then Lily and James and then Peter"  
  
"Oh Remus, Remus...Peter.... Peter's a---"  
  
"Eve, we know it was Peter that betrayed Lily and James but there's something else you should know- Sirius is, dead." Remus said the final word quietly as though it would make the impact less harsh. Eve stepped back from Remus and sat down suddenly on the bed  
  
"Dead?" She said "How did- he- die?" she asked as tears started to swell in her eyes.  
  
"Look Eve, I know that you and Sirius were well, dating up until that day but he thought you died too." Lupin said walking to her "REMUS! Tell me please how he died." Eve said with tears rolling down her cheeks  
  
"Well, it was Voldemort. Eve, It was Harry's fifth year. You remember Harry right, Lily and James's son?" Eve nodded. "Well Sirius was hit with a stunning charm by a death eater in the room with the black veil and he fell and he was gone."  
  
"Did he feel pain?" Eve asked  
  
"I think he felt more losing you." Lupin said as he sat down beside her and scooped her into his arms as she softly cried thinking to himself, 'I hate to feel this way but I don't think anyone can step in the way anymore, I set Sirius up with her, it was me she should have been dating in school I'm the one with all those sweet songs and duets she knew and I just taught them to Sirius and all the while he stood as a shining star while I helped him along but not this time. This time Eve will fall in love with me like it should have been in school.'  
  
"Eve, honey, look at me." Lupin said as he took her chin in his hand and held it there. "I'm here now to protect you who ever that 'Tom' was because he certainly wasn't anyone you should be around ok?" Eve nodded  
  
"You know Remus, I remember when Sirius and I had just met and the song we sang together Eve said,  
  
_"When I was a kid I'd play on this street I always loved illusion, I thought make believe was truer than life but now it's all confusion. Please can you tell me what's happening I just don't know anymore if this is real how should I feel what should I look for?" Eve sang and it sent Lupin down memory lane and before he could stop him self he started in with her.  
  
"If you were smart you would keep on walking out of my life as fast as you can, I'm not the one you should pin your hopes on. You're falling for the wrong kind of man. This is crazy you know we should call it a day. Sound advice great advice lets throw it away. I can't control all the things I'm feeling I haven't got a prayer If I'm a fool well I'm too much in love to care. I knew where I was I'd given up hope made friends with this illusion no one in my life, but I look at you and now it's all confusion."_ Lupin sang and when he looked at Eve's amazement and look of a dawning truth.   
  
"Remus?" She asked guardedly Biting his lip he answered her  
  
"Yes?" a look of worry in his eyes  
  
"Remus, I want the truth, did you teach Sirius those songs was it you telling him what to say to me?" Lupin stayed quiet for a moment trying to figure out whether lying to her would hurt her more than telling her the truth so he settled with a compromise.  
  
"I taught him the songs, knowing which ones you sang and knowing which ones were duets and which ones weren't. What he said to you was all of his own thinking." He told her hoping that he just hadn't ruined any chance with her. 


	9. A Love that Should Have Been?

"Oh, but there's one thing I forgot." And from behind his back be pulled a box "I found this one day after cleaning out Sirius's attic it was a Christmas present for you the year Lily and James died. I hope you don't mind me giving it to you instead of Sirius." Lupin said "I know it's not really the same but I found it about a year ago after he died. It was left up to Harry and I to clean out his stuff and I found this box wrapped in a ribbon with a card that said 'Eve' and I kept it for some weird reason I didn't try and return it to a jewelry store, I think that was the last bit of hope I had to hold onto."

And with that said Lupin turned the box to face Eve and lifted the cover to reveal a sliver necklace shaped like Ivy with small diamond flowers and white frosted crystal leaves to come down to a point right in the middle. Eve gasped a little at the shining ornament as she reached out to touch it Lupin said "But that's just from Sirius. I had known Sirius had gotten that for you and well I went out and bought this the same time with him." And he held out a smaller rounder box Eve opened the box slowly and found a matching bracelet and earrings. Eve looked from the boxes to Remus. Her bright eyes sparkling like glass orbs from the tears that she had trickling down her soft features. Remus wiped the tears from her cheek and wrapped an arm around her waist pulled her to him and softly but strongly kissed away the final tears that she would shed that night.

Eve regained her composure wrapped up in Lupin's arms sighed and smiled a contented smile She looked up at Remus breathless and feeling truly happy for the first time in about seventeen years. And with one final kiss Remus took the necklace from the box as Eve put on the bracelet and earrings he pushed her long brown hair to one side and fastened the necklace and wrapped his arms around her asking,

"Alright Eve, you ready to go?"

"Where are we going?" She asked softly looking at her reflection in the mirror and how it didn't feel like there was something missing in her life anymore as if some long vacant hole had finally been filled.

"Nope, can't tell, it's a surprise. All I'm going to say is I have a very long memory Genevieve." Lupin said with a mysterious grin and receiving a suspicious stare from Eve.

"Should I be nervous?" She asked attentively

"Are you?" He asked continuing with his mysterious air

"I am a little." She answered eyeing him beadily

"Do you trust me?" Lupin asked with a tone of seriousness and repartee

"What kind of a silly question is that?" Eve asked in disbelief "Of course I do!" She said smiling. "Well take my hand and let's go and you'll see what my early Christmas present is for you in about three, two, one." And with a loud crack they were gone


	10. Sirius's Last Gift

"Oh, but there's one thing I forgot." And from behind his back be pulled a box   
"I found this one day after cleaning out Sirius's attic it was a Christmas present for you the year Lily and James died. I hope you don't mind me giving it to you instead of Sirius." Lupin said   
"I know it's not really the same but I found it about a year ago after he died. It was left up to Harry and I to clean out his stuff and I found this box wrapped in a ribbon with a card that said 'Eve' and I kept it for some weird reason I didn't try and return it to a jewelry store, I think that was the last bit of hope I had to hold onto."   
And with that said Lupin turned the box to face Eve and lifted the cover to reveal a sliver necklace shaped like Ivy with small diamond flowers and white frosted crystal leaves to come down to a point right in the middle. Eve gasped a little at the shining ornament as she reached out to touch it Lupin said   
"But that's just from Sirius. I had known Sirius had gotten that for you and well I went out and bought this the same time with him." And he held out a smaller rounder box Eve opened the box slowly and found a matching bracelet and earrings. Eve looked from the boxes to Remus. Her bright eyes sparkling like glass orbs from the tears that she had trickling down her soft features. Remus wiped the tears from her cheek and wrapped an arm around her waist pulled her to him and softly but strongly kissed away the final tears that she would shed that night. Eve regained her composure wrapped up in Lupin's arms sighed and smiled a contented smile She looked up at Remus breathless and feeling truly happy for the first time in about seventeen years. And with one final kiss Remus took the necklace from the box as Eve put on the bracelet and earrings he pushed her long brown hair to one side and fastened the necklace and wrapped his arms around her asking,   
"Alright Eve, you ready to go?"   
"Where are we going?" She asked softly looking at her reflection in the mirror and how it didn't feel like there was something missing in her life anymore as if some long vacant hole had finally been filled. "Nope, can't tell, it's a surprise. All I'm going to say is I have a very long memory Genevieve." Lupin said with a mysterious grin and receiving a suspicious stare from Eve.   
"Should I be nervous?" She asked attentively   
"Are you?" He asked continuing with his mysterious air "I am a little." She answered eyeing him beadily   
"Do you trust me?" Lupin asked with a tone of seriousness and repartee   
"What kind of a silly question is that?" Eve asked in disbelief   
"Of course I do!" She said smiling.   
"Well take my hand and let's go and you'll see what my early Christmas present is for you in about three, two, one." And with a loud crack they were gone. 


	11. Dreams Really Can Come True

A few seconds later Eve found herself on a hill with nothing but the moon and stars lighting the sky. It was a week before Christmas (the next evening Eve had to meet Harry and Remus's other friends back in London) and the moon was starting on its last quarter which unfortunately put Lupin in a precarious situation for Christmas Day but not New Years (Eve had something up her sleeve for that holiday if all went well.) The hill that she and Remus were standing on was surrounded by a circle of majestic looking evergreen trees that swayed in the breeze as if bowing to an unseen majesty.  
  
"Well what do you think?" Lupin asked anxiously  
  
"It's so quiet and peaceful." Eve said staring around her  
  
"Well, we should change that. We need to do this now so that I don't feel as bad on Christmas" Remus said   
  
With a wave of his wand fairies carrying mini multicolored lanterns in festive colors of red and green appeared and flitted around six of them approached Eve, two were carrying strands of emerald green ivy four more pulled two front strands of hair and twisted the ivy in her hair as to look like a winter crown of greens. She smiled at Lupin as he was about to wave his wand again she caught his wrist her small hand cover the back of his as she pushed his hand down to his side and shook her head and pointed to the bottom of the hill where a reign deer was grazing on some winter grass. Lupin clicked his tongue and it pranced right up to them. Eve let out a small gasp, the animal was huge about the size of a Clydesdale horse, she looked up at Lupin her eyes shining; she stood on toe and pecked him in the cheek.  
  
"Care to go for a ride?" Lupin asked smoothly  
  
"You're not saying—"Eve started  
  
"--that this reign deer can fly?" Lupin finished.  
  
Eve stood gawking in amazement as Lupin pulled himself up once situated offered a hand to Eve and pulled her up as soon as she was situated with her arms wrapped tightly around his waist and head over his shoulder the deer took off at a gallop down the hill heading straight for a bramble bush. The deer was about two feet from the bush when Eve let out a squeak and the deer took flight. Eve held onto Lupin tighter and he looked back at her and chuckled. "Eve, don't you dare close your eyes, hold your breath it gets better." He whispered in her ear and she opened her eyes to find herself soaring among the clouds. After about five minutes of flying the deer landed right on a cloud Lupin hopped off and held out his arms grabbed Eve around the waist and lifted her off they patted the nose of the deer Lupin's arm still around Eve's waist holding her to him until the deer took flight again at this Eve questioned,  
  
"Remus, how will we get back?"  
  
"He's a smart stag; he'll know when to come." He said with a wink after a minute of standing around staring at the changing shape of the other clouds and how the one they were on was remaining perfectly flat Lupin took eve by the hand and led her to the middle of the cloud, pulled her close to himself and like from a distant dream soft music started to play, an old familiar tune from way back when. Suddenly it came to Eve where she had heard the song. It was at a Christmas dance at the Leaky Cauldron two years before everything for Lily and James, Eve and Sirius, and Lupin fell through. It had been the song that she had pushed Sirius aside for one song and grabbed Lupin's hand to dance; all he had wanted was one dance to last a lifetime.  
  
Are we dancing? Are we really here? Is this feeling something real or will it disappear? Are we dancing? Does the music soar? Was this lovely song I hear ever heard before? Are your eyes confessing things I alone can see? Or is my imagination flying away with me? Are we dancing? Say we really are! Than I'll know that I reached into the sky. I reached into the sky and touched a star. Is this feeling something real or will it disappear? Was this lovely song I hear ever heard before? Are your eyes confessing things I alone can see or is my imagination flying away with me? Are we dancing? Say we really are then I'll know that I reached into the sky. I reached into the sky and  
  
touched a star.  
  
It was as though she were in a dream; she couldn't see how someone as sweet as Remus could come into her life twice something had to go wrong soon, her luck was beginning to get too good for comfort.  
  
The evening went wonderfully right up until Lupin mentioned going back to the cabin to get some of Eve's things so that she'd have all of her clothes for the trip back to England. Eve's eyes went the size of glass orbs at the mention of this and reluctantly agreed after being prodded and promised that she wouldn't have to go into Tom's cabin alone.  
  
"Let's not worry about that now please?" Eve pleaded  
  
"Alright but in the morning, we have to get your things because one more visit back and you'll never have to go again." Lupin said  
  
At around 2:00 in the morning Lupin clicked his tongue and the deer appeared as if out of thin air and flew them down to the hill and once no longer carrying passengers took off down the hill and in a blink of an eye was gone. After literally soaring down from cloud Lupin took Eve's ice-cold hands in his surprised that she hadn't said anything about being cold he let her walk ahead a little until he changed the dress robes that she was wearing into a set of winter robes, a scarf and mittens, she jumped a little at the transformation of her clothes stopped and turned giving Lupin a gracious smile as he took her mitten-covered hands in his since he had transformed his clothes as well into a set of long pants, a sweater, and winter jacket. Eve and Lupin spent about four hours watching the stars and that night saw only one shooting star while sitting on a blanket and wrapped up in one on the crest of the hill Remus whispered in Eve's ear,  
  
"Eve?"  
  
"Hmm?" she sighed  
  
"Can I keep you?"  
  
"Mmhhmm." She whispered as she leaned back and fell asleep against Lupin's shoulder.  
  
For about twenty minutes Remus watched her sleep thinking about how beautiful she was hoping against hope that the one portrait of Sirius that still hung in head quarters wouldn't be disappointed in his intervention and that the unmovable portrait of Mrs. Black wouldn't recognize Eve, after all she had changed; back in school Eve would have been considered cute, but now as she looked like a vela. Lupin sighed and regrettably had to wake his sleeping beauty.   
  
As the sun came up over the horizon Lupin grabbed Eve's mitten-covered hands, looked into her eyes, which shone with the light of the last morning star, and kissed her with all his strength. From a distance anyone watching would have seen the most romantic sight anyone could ever wish for, the winter morning sun coming up and shining through the trees casting an angelic glow upon the two as a winter wind blew Eve's scarf and straight blond hair in ripples behind her, Lupin's arms wrapped around her small waist, holding her strongly and Eve's thin arms around his neck behind her it was absolutely perfect and was truly picturesque. 


	12. It Could Have Been Worse

It was about eight thirty in the morning when Eve and Remus reached the cabin that Eve had left three months earlier. Slowly Eve lifted the latch on the door to find the cabin completely dark, it looked like it hadn't been lived in for months. Eve and Remus walked surreptitiously around the cabin ears strained for any sound of movement. When Eve entered the small room that had been hers she found the few clothes that she had and a locket Sirius had given her while they were in school, already packed neatly in a box. Getting very anxious to get out of the dark cabin she heard the squeaking of hinges followed by the slamming and locking of a door. She spun around to find Tom glaring at her. His eyes piercing through her as Remus started to bang on the other side of the door  
  
"Eve, angel?" Lupin said hurriedly as Tom started to advance on her.  
  
"Stay away from me!" She shouted frantically hearing that Remus's voice had quieted listening for trouble.  
  
"Wandering Child so lost, so helpless yearning for my guidance!" He said maliciously "Too long you've wandered in winter, far from my far-reaching gaze." He reached out to touch her face but she pulled back remarking with a dazed look in her eyes  
  
"Wildly my mind beats against you."  
  
"You resist...yet your soul will always obey its call to me." As Tom reached out to grab Eve's wrists Lupin used his wand to break through the door as Tom wrapped his long bony fingers around Eve's wrist and flinging her behind him with so much momentum that she was flung into the wall seemingly unharmed.  
  
"Who are you?!" Lupin demanded "  
  
Did Eve not tell you Remus...Did she not tell you all about me? I'm about to become your worst nightmare." Tom hissed quietly his green eyes narrowed to slits and for a brief second appeared to be glowing red.  
  
"Eve grab your things, we're leaving." Remus said sternly as she hurried to grab the small box that contained everything she wanted except she noticed; one other thing the picture of Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, and herself on the last day of their seventh year. She grabbed it and tossed it in the box. As Eve was picking up the box Tom rounded on her trying to back her into a corner much to Tom's frustration she circled around giving her a perfect shot of the box and the door-less frame,  
  
"So, it is to be war between us?" he said quietly with a sardonic smile as Eve slowly stepped back toward the box that was still sitting on the crude excuse for a bed and sensing her opportunity to grab the box and run for it she did with Remus in mad pursuit. Once they were outside the small hut from a short distance off  
  
"So be it! Now let it be war upon you both!" they heard Tom shout just before they had apparated back to the inn Eve dropped her box on the floor and gave into tears as she threw herself on the bed her face buried and sobbed heavily. Remus walked over to the bed and sat on the edge trying to think of some way to comfort her but figured that cuddling with her wouldn't make her feel much better so he tried to lighten things up saying,  
  
"Well that could have been worse..."  
  
"COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE?" Eve yelled giving Lupin the clear idea that that cuddling and holding her would have been the better idea because now Eve was standing firmly planted and even with her small stature looking strangely powerful,  
  
"And just how do you think that could have been worse Remus?!" She demanded  
  
"Well....He could have killed us on the spot. He could have taken you and killed me. He could have killed you. He could have taken you from me It could have been much worse." He said watching her with unblinking eyes as she paced back and fourth across the length of the room. After a few minutes of silence and obvious pondering on both sides Eve continued her pacing when Remus stuck out an arm which he wrapped around her and pulled her into his lap and sat her on the bed looked at her with considering eyes and said quietly, "If I remember correctly, you're very ticklish."  
  
"Oh no, no—no" Eve said pushing back "Ummm Remus-"she said holding her hands out in front of her as if to try and block him  
  
"Don't we need to get ready to go?"  
  
"In a minute..." He said as he started tickling her as she rolled around trying to get out of arms reach laughing the beautiful laugh that he had known so well. Amidst the laughter Eve managed to choke out, "Ok, Remus where is it exactly that we're staying in London?" he stooped suddenly, pensively considering how to tell her that she would be staying in Sirius's old house until he decided on blatant honesty "Well Eve, we're staying at headquarters and before he died Sirius offered his house as a secret place for us all to stay as Order members." Remus waited for a reply, all he got was more pacing. "Eve, stop your making me dizzy and you're starting to ware a hole in the rug." He said with a smile she stopped abruptly.  
  
"Sorry." She murmured and started packing her box "Remus--"she said suddenly continuing to fold her clothes and repack her things. "--I don't know if I should go with you, I mean I could stay here and keep an eye and ear out for anything suspicious."  
  
"Are you saying you don't want to come?" he asked with a confused look on his face and a pained look in his eyes that made Eve's heart break. "Are you leaving me here and now?" he asked carefully  
  
"No!" She said instantly, a small sigh of relief issued from Lupin was granted at the fact that it didn't take her more than a few seconds to respond "I just don't know if I can take being back in Sirius's old house." She said  
  
"Well, how about this: stick it out for Christmas and New Years then if you still don't feel comfortable we can come back." Eve nodded in agreement and with a wave of her wand which she had found in the bottom of the box. Her clothes were folded and her two necklaces, earrings, and bracelet were put away carefully in a smaller box. The picture positioned perfectly on the top of the box she was ready to go back to her past and remember everything she had forgotten.  
  
"All set?" Remus asked as he closed the lid of his trunk and received an answer in a silent nod and a sigh, which he took to mean 'I'm as ready as I'll ever be.' With luggage in tow Remus and Eve apparated to number 12 Grimmwauld Place, secret headquarters for The Order of the Phoenix. 


	13. The Noble House Of Black

"Well there it is." Eve said "Just as it was the last time I saw it." Eve said as she walked closely behind Lupin carrying her small box. Lupin stopped at the front door,  
  
"Are you ready?" he asked quietly, Eve hesitated for a moment stepped back until she nodded as Remus opened the door and suddenly nine people were all welcoming Lupin home all at once with big hugs and jovial handshakes were administerd as Eve slinked back into a corner looking about the house remembering it as it was when she had been introduced to Sirius's parents. She rather liked being completely ignored and didn't really notice when every one started to notice that Lupin had brought home a girl. After a few minutes Eve realized that it had gone suddenly quiet when a man with grizzly grey hair called out,  
  
"Oi, Remus, who's the lass?" and every one had suddenly fixated their attention on her when Remus offered an explanation of their meeting.  
  
"Well Moody, this is Genevieve Porter. She and I went to Hogwarts together. Eve was Sirius's girlfriend from what was it third year till about seventeen years ago?" Sirius explained  
  
"Your fourth year" Eve corrected quietly.  
  
"Well look at the poor dear, she must be confused out of her mind being back in this old house." A kind faced woman said as she offered to show Eve to a spare bedroom  
  
"Oh Molly that's fine I'll take Eve's things up when I take mine shouldn't be too difficult to manage, it's a small box." Lupin said with a wink back at Eve who acknowledged with a half smile.  
  
"Oh Genevieve, you must be starving and tired, let me heat up some of the dinner." The kind faced woman offered "and then we can introduce you to everyone." As she lead Eve into the kitchen where a very large bowl of vegetable soup had been set in front of her.  
  
"Thank you ma'am." Eve said quietly  
  
"Oh no dear, not ma'am; I'm Molly Weasley and this is my husband Arthur, and my son Ron and daughter Ginny." Each respective person waved happily at Eve which made her feel a little more comfortable at least the house wasn't as strict as when Mrs. Black had lived in it. Molly continued with, "My other sons Fred and George, they're twins, Percy is a ministry worker but not members of The Order, chances are you won't see Percy much. Bill and Charlie are my eldest two. You'll see them I'm around I'm sure. This handsome young man is Harry Potter." Harry's introduction made Eve sit up straighter as she considered Harry who gazed back at her "And this is Hermione Granger, a friend of Harry's and Ron's." Hermione waved with a bright stunning smile. "This is Alastor "Mad-eye Moody retired Auror." Mrs. Weasley continued  
  
"Welcome back Ms. Genevieve." Mad-eye Moody said  
  
"Oh Moody please, it's Eve." she said softly  
  
"This is Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphandora Tonks." Molly finished  
  
"Please Molly, Tonks." A thin young woman with short black hair said  
  
"I'm sorry Tonks but you have a first name and I'm going to introduce this young lady correctly." Molly said sternly just then the door of the kitchen flung open and in billowed a man of middle height with long greasy hair, a hooked nose, and skin so sallow it reminded Eve of spoiled milk.  
  
"Eve" Lupin said with a sly smile "This is Serverus Snape surely you remember him." At the introduction Eve blinked and stared at the man as she stood up. Snape's eyes were also fixed on Eve watching her with consideration  
  
"Eve....Eve, Why does that name sound familiar..." when Snape's eyes went wide with recognition as he mouthed quietly "Genevieve Porter, Sirius Black's girlfriend?" Eve nodded as she walked over to Snape as they eyed each other while everyone else was quiet knowing how well that Sirius and Snape had gotten along in school. Suddenly Eve threw her arms around Snape's neck and for a while they hugged as Lupin looked on in shock when they separated Snape asked, "How are you? The newspapers listed you among the missing and declared dead in that explosion in front of the ministry because your body was never found, and well now I see why! How did you get here anyway?"  
  
"Well firstly, I'm fine. And I did almost die in that explosion but, thanks to Moody I didn't. He sent me to a first rate hospital in North America it took a while to regain back all my memory I had been hit with debris from the building that damaged my memory for a while, and finally I got here with the help of Remus." She said as she threw a dazzling smile at him that sent messages for him not to worry Snape also cast a glance at Remus but his was still of sheer loathing and hatred,  
  
"Oh. Well I hope that he was at least considerate of you during your trip." Snape hissed at Lupin  
  
"Oh Serverus, please, it is Remus we're talking about. He's always been the perfect gentleman." Eve said as she held out her hand for Remus to take which he quickly did.  
  
"Oh yes that's right Remus, the perfect gentleman." Snape choked "But I see you didn't waste anytime at all moving in on your best friend's girl did you? Sort of school age isn't it Moony?" Snape chortled as Remus's eyes narrowed and took a swipe at Snape's jaw line.  
  
"REMUS!" Mrs. Weasley and Eve screeched as Eve spun to face him "Was that really necessary?" She asked her arms crossed in front of her. Snape stepped aside to talk to Arthur Weasley and left shortly after. "  
  
Eve, dear come into the living room, and tell us all about how you and Remus met again?" Mrs. Weasley asked as Eve nodded and followed suit Harry sat down across from Eve eyeing her carefully as though to size her up. Remus sat down on the couch beside her. Eve looked at Remus and asked if he wanted to tell the story Lupin nodded and began with Eve throwing in little interjections every once in a while until Harry stood up and asked,  
  
"So, you dated Sirius?" Eve nodded in confirmation. "I suppose you know he's dead." Harry said bluntly in a tone so cold that made Eve wince but again she nodded in confirmation. "I'm also sure that you'd like to see a picture?" He continued a bit softer probably due to the petrified look that he was receiving. Eve nodded as Lupin stood up to take her,  
  
"No, no Professor I'll take her I want to talk with her a bit more anyway." Harry said still watching Eve who through a worried glance at Remus. Lupin gave her hand a squeeze as she walked toward the hallway past a covered portrait and asked  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"Yeah?" he replied  
  
"What are the drapes covering?" Eve asked  
  
"Would you like to see?" Harry said conspicuously trying to urge her into saying yes so she nodded and Harry pulled back the cord when shouts of  
  
"Half-Breeds, Filth, scum, how you dare soil the noble house of Black" alerted everyone to the stairs, until Eve started talking to the portrait,  
  
"Mrs. Black?" Eve asked cautiously while curtsying. As the beady eyed picture started looking her up and down  
  
"Child, do something with your hair it's all in your eyes and state your name." Eve pulled her hair back and brushed it out of her face. "--Much better dear." The portrait said  
  
"Ma'am, my name is Genevieve Porter." Mrs. Black's eyes went wide in amazement.  
  
"Eve, my son's girlfriend?" The portrait questioned  
  
"Yes, ma'am" Eve said waiting for what was to come  
  
"Well child, welcome back to my home. I think you were the only part of his wretched life that I actually approved of." Mrs. Black said "But that-"and she thrust a gloved finger at the edge of the canvas toward Remus "That monster!" she bellowed  
  
"Mrs. Black-" Eve started  
  
"NO! Child" She looked back at Eve  
  
"Mrs. Black please listen to me." Eve started as she caught the portraits attention "Remus is a gentle person, and a pureblood wizard, with an unfortunate circumstance." The portrait looked back at Remus and nodded.  
  
"Eve promise that you will come back and tell me where you have been all these years. This house has been devoid of any truly noble witches lately. Hopefully you can bring my house back to standard." Eve nodded kindly and bid Mrs. Black goodbye for now and looked at Harry with eyebrows raised  
  
"That was a dirty trick, and I got the better of you, feel sheepish yet?" Eve said full of flair and confidence "Now would you please show me to the portrait of Sirius?"  
  
"Harry Potter!" Remus said sternly "I would like a word with you. Ron will show Eve to the picture of Sirius won't you Ron?" Lupin smiled at a very tall boy with brilliant red hair and freckles to match. "Hello Ron." Eve said kindly  
  
"It's nice to meet you Eve. Come to think of it I think I remember seeing your school picture, Harry showed it to me while he was cleaning out Sirius's attic. You'll have to forgive Harry; he's not been himself since he lost Sirius. After all Sirius was the second to last link to his parents he had and he's awfully close to Professor Lupin now."  
  
"I'm not trying to take the place of anyone or take Remus away from Harry or his job as an instructor. I've known Remus for a long time, true we lost touch for about seventeen years but now it's like we never lost each other at all. If Harry would give me a chance he'd know that I was practically best friends with his mother in school." Eve said while walking up the stairs with Ron when finally they came to the third floor landing and Ron said,  
  
"This is Sirius's room." And he opened the door for her as she entered she chuckled a little.  
  
"It hasn't much since school." Eve said half to herself and half to Ron when suddenly as if from no where.  
  
"Ron?" Sirius's voice rang out like music to Eve's ears  
  
"Hi Sirius." Ron said as he walked in front of the portrait "I brought you a visitor."  
  
"What?! Oh please tell me Snape's not around this house is he?" Sirius asked in a sardonic tone  
  
"No, I think you'll enjoy this visitor." Ron said with a smile and waved Eve over  
  
"Hi Sirius." She said quietly as the picture of Sirius on the wall stared in amazement until Sirius's portrait said in an almost inaudible whisper  
  
"Eve? My Eve?" She nodded as a tear formed in her sharp eyes and rolled down her cheek "I thought—you were dead." Sirius said "I waited for a year or more but when there was no letter, no sign of you I figured you had been killed just like many others-- incinerated." The last word hit home for Eve now she really knew that people thought she had died and that they really mourned their loss, Sirius continued "And three days later I lost James and Lily, I wasn't sure how I'd continue." As even Sirius the big shot, the prankster, the one Eve had called cold hearted once during a fight, shed a single tear "But, how did you get here?" He asked "and where have you been?"  
  
"Oh Sirius, I thought about you constantly. I thought about where you were, who you were with now that I had been removed." Eve said as another tear rolled down her soft cheek "Remus and I sort of stumbled across each other in a forest hollow about three months ago. And where have I been? Oh Sirius if you only knew. I after that explosion in front of the ministry Moody was the first to find me and he did so quickly, saw the severity of wounds and gashes along my head and magicked me to a top hospital knowing that St. Mungo's just wouldn't cut it. Slowly I regained the memory I had lost. While I was still in a relatively vulnerable state someone claiming to have known me, and at that point I figured that because of my condition I didn't remember him he knew my name without asking. He seemed to know me and I thought that I knew him but even up until now I think that was the first day that I had seen him although what he told me was he had gone to Hogwarts and was only a few years older than I am."  
  
"Eve, what was his name?" Sirius asked with narrow eyes  
  
"Tom Reynolds." She said  
  
"Did he hurt you?" that question she didn't answer just merely shrugged.  
  
"Sirius what happened to you after...that day?" Eve asked looking at the floor  
  
"Well after I lost you I just stopped until I found out that Lily and James had been murdered. That's when I started moving I was going to kill Peter but the little rat got the better of me I spent the better part of thirteen years in Azakaban and was on the run all the way up until that day in the ministry with the Veil." Eve nodded and slowly lifted her fingers to the portrait and almost touched it but put her hand down and sighed while looking around at the floor and ceiling until Sirius said,  
  
"Eve, if you're staying in the house, you're free to stay in this room it would be nice to be able to watch you sleep again. For some reason I always found peace in that." Sirius's brown eyes gazing as pitiful as Eve had ever seen which made her cry harder "Oh Eve please don't cry. Damn! All I want now is one more day to touch you. To hold you to know that your real. If the dead are given a Christmas wish that's what mine would be. To have one day with just you." And he put his hand up to the side of the canvas as if hoping to be able to reach through.  
  
"Eve..." Remus was calling her  
  
"I'm in here Remus." She called back as the door opened  
  
"Moony!" Sirius called  
  
"Hi Padfoot." Remus said solemnly as he took Eve's hand and saw Sirius's eyes shift down and sigh  
  
"Well I guess if I can't be with her, someone should protect the love of my life." And with that Eve lost it and buried her face in Remus's shoulder as Lupin threw his arms around her while casting Sirius a did-you-really-have- to-say-that glace.  
  
"Remus." She said quietly "I think I need to go now." And with that she said goodbye to Sirius's portrait as Eve and Remus walked from the room. Lupin's arm supporting her around the waist Eve was still clinging to Lupin for comfort and protection as they walked down the hall toward Remus's room. While Eve laid down Remus, by her side the tears finally started to subside as he held her and kissed away her tears until finally Eve fell asleep in his arms where she stayed until morning. 


	14. Harry's Suspicions

That next morning Eve awoke not knowing where she was. She sat up suddenly and leaped out of bed looking all around in a confused and dazed manner. Her eyes settled on a sleeping Remus and she remembered what had happened last night sighed a little as the sleeping form of Remus started to wake up and felt around for her next to him and sleepily whispered,

"Eve?"  
  
"I'm here Remus." She said quietly as she sat down on a chair by the window. Lupin's eyes opened as he asked,

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm ok. I just had a momentary relapse, Happens from time to time." She said softly

"Well why don't you come here?" Remus asked and with that Eve smiled brightly, got up and lay down next to Remus as he ran his fingers through her soft hair and whispered softly,

"Eve, I know I'm not Sirius and I know that some portion of your heart will always love him. I also know that you're blaming yourself for his death, but the fact of the matter is, he died for someone he really did care about; Harry. But, if you'd just give me a chance...maybe someday you could see me the same way that you saw him." With this statement Eve rolled over and looked Remus in the eye put her hand on his face in a tender way and whispered,

"You may not believe it Remus but I see you clearer than I ever saw Sirius. It's true I do love Sirius but with time that too will fade and my eyes will be only for you."

And with that she leaned in a moment of surprise kissed him so suddenly that it took him a few moments to realize what she had said and followed with. A knock on the door disturbed them and Eve sat up straightened herself quickly in a mirror and opened the door a little to see a girl about 17 with brown frizzy hair but a beautiful smile and intelligent and very sharp eyes.  
  
"Good morning Eve, I'm Hermione and I've come to tell you and Professor Lupin that breakfast will on the table and ready for you in about five minutes."

"Thank you Hermione." Eve said graciously

"We'll see you downstairs." And she closed the door and ran back to Remus where he lay with his eyes closed she hopped up onto the bed which startled Lupin, as he said in a coarse whisper

"Hell!"

Eve's eyes looked down at Remus as he started to relax as she situated herself back into his strong arms to face him and started to close her eyes and fall asleep again feeling comfortable knowing that he was there but just as she started to drift off again a voice rang from the bottom of the stairs.

"Eve, Remus, breakfast is ready." The two looked at each other sighed a little and quickly got dressed in comfortable jeans while Remus put on a relatively snug bright orange T- shirt that bore big bold letters "C-C" and Eve put on a sweater made of grey wool when they both turned around Eve was surprised to see the C's boldly outlined on his shirt not to mention the fact that she finally saw the definition of his muscles and it made her heart melt all over again as she looked into his eyes and saw him surveying her flare jeans and sweater which she pulled at in slight nervousness and said with a laugh,

"The Chudley Cannons?"

"Ron gave it to me for Christmas last year." He offered with a smile

"Right...I knew deep down inside you were a closet quidditch fan."

"Oh I've always liked quidditch and you know it." Lupin said grinning broadly

"Oh yea hot-shot, then I challenge you to a game of backyard quidditch after breakfast." Eve said brightly

"You're challenge? Consider it accepted!" Lupin said and with that she grinned at him and started walking around the bed toward the door and with a flick of a heel left the bedroom. Lupin followed her out of the room shaking his head until he took the opportunity to race her down the stairs.

"Hey!" She said teasingly "That's not fair you got a head start!" and started speeding down the stairs. Once at the bottom Lupin turned around looked at her and said

"Stop!" But with too much momentum she barreled into him he caught her and fell back a few steps into the wall once everything on the wall had been straitened they both looked at each other and laughed all the way into the kitchen where everyone turned to look at them.

"Why does everyone look so depressed?" Lupin asked in a lighthearted manner that would soon change as Arthur slid the morning edition of the Daily Prophet across the table and he read carefully with Eve looking over his shoulder. The headline was bold and bore into Eve's heart like a thousand nails after she stared at it for a long while not really accepting until the two words finally made sense.  
_** "Another War?!  
Are we ready for terror?"**_

Lupin picked up the paper as Eve sat down quietly next to Moody who gave her a half smile that twisted his face.

"It'll be ok, Ms. Eve. Remus will be ok in a few minutes." Moody whispered coarsely as Eve's eyes watched Remus pace back and fourth reading the paper.

"Damn!" Lupin said as he put the paper down on the table and looked up slightly at Eve who had a nervous look on her face and then looked to Moody who had his eyebrows raised elongating his scarred face strangely.

"Sorry. These articles make me angry. Reporters complain and just sit around. If they're so scared why don't they get up and do something about Voldemort?"

"Remus!" Tonks hissed

"What?! I just think that it's not fair that they say something needs to be done about Voldemort but can't offer any suggestions." He said agitated.

"I'm sorry Molly I'm not very hungry right now." And he left the kitchen as quickly as he could. Everyone turned to Eve as she stood up.

With a meek "excuse me." And followed Lupin out into the hall and into the living room with a large sofa and fireplace where she found Lupin pacing back and fourth.

"And I was making you dizzy?" She said and apparently caught him by surprise as he spun around quickly and settled slightly. She started walking toward him.

"Remus, hun, what is it? What was it in there that put you off so?"

"Oh Eve." He said taking her in his arms "I just get annoyed with the reporters and how they alarm everyone. We're doing everything we can, but he's so hard to track. But of course you remember how it was..."

Remus cut off as Eve was walking over to the window,

"Remus, look." Eve said as she looked out the window from the living room where the late morning sun was shining through but still there were snowflakes falling softly to the ground each perfect in their own different way. Remus stood back watching as the sun beams fell perfectly making Eve's blue eyes sparkle more than they usual, in this light her skin was radiant even in the darkness of winter she was glowing like a warm summer day, and as the sun shown down against her hair that too seemed to shine. After gazing out the window watching the sun beat against the snowflakes Remus suddenly felt like one of those tiny snowflakes, while he was trying to protect and live against Voldemort these small snowflakes were trying to live against the heat of the sun. He looked back at Eve and asked,

"Eve do you want to go and find some Christmas presents? I need to go out and find a few?"

"Of course I do, I don't really know many people here but I suppose I could find something." She said and hopped up and even when she stepped out of the sun she still seemed to be glowing. Lupin blinked a few times and shook it off and held out his hand to take hers as they walked by the kitchen the open door.

"Harry, try and be tolerant after all it is Professor Lupin." Hermione was pleading

"I know Hermione, I'm just a little suspicious..." Harry said patting a bandy- legged cat with a bottle-brush tail

"Give her time, Professor Lupin has known her for a long time."

"And lost her, for a lot longer than 7 years of school and then she comes back into his life and everything is great again? I just don't get how he can't see it I mean obviously she's a fake trying to get into the system, I actually wouldn't be surprised if she were a Death Eater."

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" Hermione Screeched just then Eve burst into the kitchen with Remus following close behind her saying calmly,

"Eve...he's just lost his godfather..." She stopped dead in her tracks spun around and hissed at him,

"So THAT'S how it is? When he bad mouths me you're going to take his side because he's 'just lost his Godfather', well let me tell you something," and she started walking toward him eyes glaring maliciously, "I just found out that the person that I thought I was determined to spend the rest of my life with has died a year ago and I'm not bad mouthing anyone I DON'T know. And the second person that I could see myself with is defending the one person that has been totally antagonistic since my arrival."

She pushed past Remus who threw a threatening looks at Harry, who for once in a long time felt a pang of guilt spread through his heart, and followed down the hall after Eve. Harry then looked at Hermione who shook her head and with an exasperated sigh stormed out of the kitchen turned around and spat,

"Harry Potter, you are the most selfish person I've ever met! This is the first time that I've seen Professor Lupin act like this like he's really in love and you take a risk to screw it up for him, couldn't you just try and get to know her?" and left him standing staring after her.


	15. Christmas

Lupin was chasing Eve out of the house calling after her,

"Eve I'm sorry! That's not what I meant at all!" He said "Please stop! Eve you are Polaris, the one trustworthy star! You are sunlight, moonlight, mountains, valleys, my joy, my star! You are better far than any metaphor can ever, ever be." She turned around looked at him and said,

"Remus, you took his side he was accusing me of something I'm not, I've never even seen Voldemort, not that I want to. You know that right?"

"Of course I know that, I don't even know how Harry came up with something like that. What I do know is that you are my love and being with you is what I'll always want. You have to realize though, that I have an unofficial obligation to Sirius about Harry. But no matter what, I know I love you. Please come back?" he asked his eyes pleading which made Eve's anger ebb away and she nodded,  
  
"We'll go back and get robes and then head into Diagon Alley for a few presents." Lupin said taking Eve's hand as she pulled back a little. When they entered the house Harry was standing at the bottom of the stairs when the door opened he turned quickly,

"Eve, I just want to say err- that I'm sorry, I was way out of line in what I said, I don't really know what came over me." He said while Eve eyed him suspiciously. Harry offered a hand to Eve "I really am sorry Eve can you forgive me?" Eve pondered for a minute then took Harry's hand

"I can forgive you Harry. Please believe me when I tell you that I've never even seen Voldemort, and I hope never to have to."

"Well, Harry we're off to Diagon Alley, Christmas is in five days and unfortunately I've been slacking in shopping for gifts." Lupin said as he grabbed himself and Eve robes out of the closet near the stairs.

"Oh." Harry said "Well have fun." And turned to go back up the stairs Eve looked back at Remus who was now standing near the door "Eve? Are you coming?" he asked when she held up her hand

"Harry?" Eve asked hesitantly

"Yeah?" Harry said quietly

"Would you like to come with us?" Eve looked back at Remus who was absolutely glowing.

"Sure." Harry said smiling and grabbed a set of robes from the closet and headed for the door as Eve walked over to Lupin her arm out stretched for her robes which he handed to her and the three of them walked out the door looked at each other and in an echoing crack they were gone. A few moments later Harry, Lupin and Eve appeared in the Leaky Cauldron Pub. Remus entered first to about five people welcoming him home as Eve followed behind Lupin and Harry trailed in after her. Eve grabbed Lupin's hand holding it tightly he glanced at her through the corner of his eye and smiled brightly. When suddenly the bar tender called to Lupin,

"Oi, Remus what's this? I can't have a date now?" said the tall slender dark haired woman.

"Sorry, Jesse I've been spoken for." He said with a slight squeeze at Eve's hand and they walked through the pub into the market square Eve looked at Remus and Harry and said,

"I'm going to go let you two bond, I'll meet you back here in about an hour I have to run and grab money from my vault and I'll go buy presents. I need a little 'me time'" Eve said smiling and started to walk toward Gringotts.  
  
"Eve you're not really going to leave like that are you?" Remus called after her she turned around and smiled and with a wink

"I'll make it up to you later." She spun around and walked away giving a glance at Harry who she saw had raised eyebrows and was elbowing Lupin in the upper arm while he stood frozen with a dazed look at the audacity of Eve in the middle of the square.

Eve walked over to Gingotts pulled her robes tighter around her as the wind whipped her hair around once inside she looked around Gringotts and remembered just how big it really was. Once at the desk she requested a cart to take her down to vault 749 which hadn't been touched in seventeen years and hopefully had accrued a large amount of interest, she was going to need it. After the trip to her vault and surprised by just how much she had managed to save in seventeen years luckily she had managed to keep it open that long somehow, no one could or would tell her why for seventeen years that vault had remained open. So Eve stepped out finding that the once partly sunny sky had grown gray and stormy, snow was whirling and the wind was howling as she pulled the sides of her robes around her tightly and walked quickly to keep from getting too cold. She walked past stores and stores thinking about how much the alley had grown since she had last been there and finally decided to go into Madame Malkins Robes for all occasions, which had a sign hanging in the window  
__

_**30 % off Hogwarts Robes **_

She walked in the store and stood in amazement at the wide range of colors and styles available and found Remus a new pair of robes to wear while teaching. She was considering telling him that if he could give her any indication of what to look for in destroying the Dark Lord then she'd go back and try and find alone so he wouldn't have to leave his friends and job again although she knew he'd never go for an idea like that. She finally found robes in a blue-gray that matched his eyes perfectly in styles for winter and spring. She took them over to the counter and purchased them walking out the door quickly while a boy with blue eyes and sleek blond hair with a pointed chin watched her circumspectly as she left the store. She then made a trip to Ollivander's Wands to pick up four wand servicing kits for Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny. For Moody Eve wandered into Knockturn Alley and found him a new sneak-o-scope and a new foe glass. She wasn't quite sure what to get Mr. and Mrs. Weasley so decided to give them both 15 galleons now that she had the money to spare and still live as she had before the day in front of the ministry.

An hour passed quickly and Eve thoroughly enjoyed the time she spent alone it was a needed stress relief just to think quietly. She met Harry and Lupin at the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron their arms full of gifts.

"Are you all done Eve?" Harry asked smiling apparently he too had enjoyed the time he spent with Remus.

"Well, without knowing most of you all that well I think I did ok." The three of them all nodded as the wind suddenly changed direction and whipped Eve's hair into her eyes try as she might she couldn't get it out of her eyes until the wind stopped. Eve looked from Remus to Harry and then shrugged off the butterfly feeling she had in her stomach. Their arms full to the maximum they apparated back to headquarters and when finally situated Eve looked at Remus and said with a smile,

"I'm going to go use Sirius's room to wrap these gifts. Which means until I come back down and find you, I'm busy." And turned but before she hid away for a few hours Remus grabbed her hand pulled her to him and kissed her he smiled at her and said,

"But you still owe me for earlier." And Eve laughed and whispered in his ear,

"Don't you worry Remus....don't you worry." And with that she left him with a peck on the cheek watching after her as she climbed up the first flight of stairs with her arms full of packages, boxes, and bags until she disappeared around the corner up to the third floor. While up there she opened the door slowly walked in put the gifts and accessories down on the floor and walked over to the window with a shade drawn and pulled it open letting in at least a little light. Eve walked over to a small radio turned it on sat on the bed waved her wand at the wrapping paper boxes and they started wrapping themselves. She sat on Sirius's bed picked up one of the pillows and breathed in deeply, even after a year the faint but unmistakable smell of his cologne still lingered. Eve lay back hugging the pillow until she heard a soft voice issued from the other side of the room,

"Eve?"

"Mmhmm?"

"Let me look at you in the light please?"

"Sirius," She said sleepily "Where have you been, I've missed you my love."

"Don't you worry my angel" and that was the last thing that Eve heard and for about two hours she slept soundly on Sirius's bed as the portrait watched with a face full of longing, sadness, and want. After the last present had been magically wrapped two hours later it fell to the floor with a dull thud that woke Eve. She sat up stretched and looked at the portrait of Sirius hanging on the wall sighed and stood up walked over to her packages lying on the floor, picked them up and whispered softly,

"It's my time to move on Sirius, be happy that it's Remus." And walked out of the room quietly and down the hall to Lupin's bedroom where he could be found downing some of the wretched potion when she entered. She smiled at him as he tried to hide it. She walked over wrapped her arms around him and whispered,

"I knew then, I still know now, and it doesn't change a thing. I'm still by your side. And Christmas Day with you is where I'll be found."

"No, Eve it's terrible." Remus said looking at her arms around him and her head resting on the back of his shoulder "I've done it alone before."

"But you shouldn't have to any more." She said walking around to stand in front of him

"But if something goes wrong?" "

I've been around a werewolf before, just not one as kind as you Remus just let's try if it doesn't go well I promise never again." Eve said pleadingly holding a tooth brush and toothpaste in a tone that made Remus helpless and unable to consider saying that it was utterly unheard of because in his heart he wanted her there. He nodded in agreement but made her promise that if anything would go wrong she'd get out as fast as she could. Eve nodded in agreement that it was a fair trade off smiled at him and pulled him over toward the bed where she sat down softly and Lupin sat next to her pulling her into his arms,

"Eve?" He asked after a few moments

"Yes?" She said gently

"Are you happy? I mean here, now?"

"I don't think I've been happier Remus, not in a long time at least." She said and scooted backward toward the top of the bed laid down and Lupin watched as she nestled in the sheets closed her eyes for a minute until she sat up and took his wrist and pulled him along side herself he lay down beside her his arms wrapped around her as she nuzzled under the covers kissed him softly and finally rested her head on his chest while he ran his hands through her hair until he too fell asleep.

As each day past it was similar to the one before. Until Christmas Eve, Lupin was tired and found himself lying in bed all day feeling bad that Eve wasn't downstairs with the others enjoying Christmas festivities of Yule logs, carols, or roasting chestnuts and what annoyed Lupin the most was that she didn't even seem to miss it, that's not to say that he didn't enjoy her company it was a great thing to have her by his side but felt bad that because he wasn't having any fun neither was she but she didn't seem to mind the lack of excitement, Eve was quite contented to sit by a window and watch the day pass or read a book she'd found. The day slowly faded into night and Remus was getting nervous about what would happen if the potion wasn't made properly and if he harmed her he'd never be able to forgive himself.

As night fell Eve was getting nervous too she really wasn't sure what to expect but found that when the full moon shown through the crack in the curtains his body went rigid and with an uncomfortable and anxious five minutes Eve bounded to the bed picked up Remus' head and placed it in her lap. And there she stay gazing out the window at the stars holding Lupin's wolf form in her lap listening to everyone else downstairs enjoying Christmas which she would do the following day. Eve looked out the window when suddenly a star burning bright zipped across the sky and Eve made a wish she thought quietly to herself

'If I could have this one wish I could finally be at peace and move on completely and forever, I wish I could have one more day with Sirius to properly say goodbye, please grant me this one wish.'

And with that she looked down cradling Lupin's wolf form as he watched her start to sleep he licked her hand as if to tell her it was ok to sleep but she shook her head and made it till sunrise when Remus's transformation was slower than the first it started from his feet and worked his way up until finally completely weak and utterly exhausted he had come back to her. She kissed his forehead and helped him move under the covers where she joined him and finally found some much needed sleep.


End file.
